"Are Sci-Fi Islamic or Desert Themed minis needed in 15mm?" Topic

I always liked the "idea" of the Islamic Federation troops from GZG but I dont love the figures themselves. "Rebels" Sahadeen are desert themed but look more "Fremin" than Islamic.

It doesnt seem like there will any shortage of battlefields in near-future Muslim majority countries, so it seems reasonable that someone should make Islamic themed SF/NF troops, does it not?

To tell the truth, I'm surprised someone other than GZG hasnt done them yet! They would also work for generic sci-fi desert planet themed troops?

So what do you say?

What would they look like? Modern middle-eastern soldiers tend to look much like everyone else's soldiers. I suppose having some of the inevitable helmetless guys in turbans would do.

There's the look of GW's Tallarn Desert Raiders, I suppose, but they're T. H. Lawrence's arabic raiders from WW1 with laser guns. It's a good look, but not very plausible SF, IMO.

Take a look at the Haqqislam troops from Infinity. They've got a distinct look within the game, but their equipment is fairly standard. It's just the odd turban, headband and the markings that make them look middle-eastern.

Mentioning "turbans", I think SF Indian troopers would be interesting as well.

Just use modern Arab troops mixed with a few 19th century colonials here and there (mainly for the camels). Once the Western nations get off their asses and make the full switch their automobile infrastructures to something other than gasoline the Arabs aren't likely to have to cash to continue buying/maintaining armored vehicles and modern equipment.

Might want some unique post-apoc figures for when the Israelis and Iranians glass each other though.

Nope.

Didn't they have a New Mecca in Pitchblack/Riddick?

"When man spread to the stars, he took his various faiths with him. On Earth, Islam faces Mecca and the black stone at the heart of the Kaaba Shrine. On Helion, we face New Mecca and a fragment of that same stone placed inside a sister shrine. But Helion is home to many people of many cultures, and we manage to coexist in peace, united by a purity of spirit."
riddick.wikia.com/wiki/New_Mecca

Dan

I don't think that would be necessary – there have already been rulings on how to observe Ramadan and face Mecca while in space.

Well, for any force up to about 2030, the 1980s-vintage AK-and-turban look is likely to be adequate.

Even up to 2130, there are likely to be AKs floating around still functional. After all, there are still those .577 Martini rifles from the Boer War in use in parts of Africa.

The challenge is figuring out what the rest of the gear would look like. BDU, US 'Fritz' helmets and webgear with AKs aren't in production as far as I know, and would be usable for several different forces in the region (including Georgia).

You could take some of the "Modern Insurgents" or "Fedayeen Soldiers" from Rebel Minis, or the "Afghan Insurgents" from QRF/Freikorp, and then sci-fi them up a bit:

Manpack laser upgrade:
1. Add a backpack made from a 40K IG ammo pouch
2. Trim off the magazines from the AK's
3. Run a piece of fishing line or guitar wire from the magazine well to the bottom of the backpack
4. Voila! Now you have a Middle Eastern soldier armed with a manpack laser instead of an assault rifle.

Futuristic scope: Find the tiniest diameter hex rod that Plastruct or Evergreen makes. Trim small (~3mm) portions and glue to the top of a fig's rifle.

Boom mic: Shave a tiny crescent-shaped sliver of small styrene tubing and glue it to the side of the fig's face (from mouth to ear) to simulate a boom mic

Targeting monocle: Cut small (1/8" long) portions of 1/16" diameter plastic rod; glue one over the right eye of each mini as a high-tech targeting monocle. When you paint the mini, dab the center of the monocle with bright red or bright green

Radio uplink operator: Communications troops can be made from any fig by drilling a hole in their pack or in a free hand, then putting a short (1/4") portion of pin or rod in it. Over the rod, slip a small (5mm) sequin with the concave side facing upward/forward/outward, and you now have a soldier with a satellite uplink dish in his hand

UAV controller: Get a pack of fleet-scale starfighters from GZG, Brigade Models, etc. Take a command or leader fig with an outstretch hand and glue the fighter to his hand as if he were about to throw it like a paper airplane. Now you have a micro-UAV and pilot! Bonus points for adding a small controller unit to his belt or other hand.

For decent UAV-looking starfighters and aircraft, here are some ideas:

link

link

link

link

link

link

You could also go buy some 1/700-scale planes or helicopters at your local model store and use those, I imagine. And, hey! You could also make a UGV using PicoArmor vehicles!

link

link

Gauss gunner: Take a pack of RPK or SAW-type figs and cut off the barrel. Drill out the gun slightly where the barrel was. Go find the smallest diameter screws you can (like a #6-32 x 1/2" machine screw) and cut off the head and pointy tip. Glue the screw body onto the rifle/LMG and you have a coilgun/Gauss gun for your squad's support weapon. Alternatively, you could use more of the hex-shaped rod mentioned above.

Microwave projector: Those RPG troops can be revamped by cutting off the warhead and replacing it with a sequin-and-pin combo. Now you have a shoulder-mounted microwave projector! Bonus points for cutting off a small rectangular piece of sprue or rectangular rod and gluing across the fig's eyes like a targeting viewfinder (this also helps answer any questions about the sequin/dish blocking the guy's line of sight…)

Aw, crud… I think I may have just talked myself into a new project…

Whoa… that was weird. Went back in to edit a misspelling in my post and when I hit "Done", it was a missive about Napoleonic cavalry! Good thing I was able to hit the back button and recover all that I'd typed.

The Bug striketh again!

Might want some unique post-apoc figures for when the Israelis and Iranians glass each other though.

Pools of toxic hummus? Acid-spitting mutant camels?

Exactly.

"The challenge is figuring out what the rest of the gear would look like. BDU, US 'Fritz' helmets and webgear with AKs aren't in production as far as I know, and would be usable for several different forces in the region (including Georgia)."

Available for pre-order at Eureka:
link
;-)

Suffice it to say, I would love to see GZG give their Islamic Federation troops a redue in 15mm similar to the makeover the Israelis and NAC figures have recently received.

Uh, as a poll question, I would say no, but then again, that's because no one around here plays 15mm. I understand Mr. Kenshin is a big fan of the 15s, I'm just unsure if the poll is the best way to promote it. Especially without a dedicated game to back it up.

"Are Sci-Fi Islamic or Desert Themed minis needed in 15mm?"

Because the campaigns hinted at in Dune just might be worth doing in 15mm…

"SF Desert" gear for a lot of people is going to be a stillsuit.

And, a stillsuit in 15mm is pretty much going to look like some kind of padded armor so it would be useful for none Dune players.

Check out these tiny guys:

TMP link

I wish they were 15mm.

Dan

Great conversion ideas, Javelin!

Please expand the Rebel Sahadeen to include figures with this overall look, and the same dynamic style of poses, but in 15mm:

link
link

Dan
TMP link

Guys,

Check out these cool structures:

Source:
link

More:

Source:

link

link

Check out these guys here:

Source:

jimmartindesign.com/cos.htm

I can just imagine these guys out in the deep desert:

Dan
TMP link
TMP link

Heh.

And, a year or so after my reply above, I'm checking out these pics for my growing 15mm army for playing Gruntz…

I do like the idea. I think however that about any low to mid-tech force with a few appropriate characters and a suitable painting will deliver what you're looking for.

What I'd like to see\add would be big osmanic-style turbans, fez-hats and long long beards.

Update:

Peter Pig has just released Tuareg heads that would be perfect for converting figures into post-apocalyptic or desert planet dwellers:

TMP link

Dan

I dub Dan the Threadcromancer! ;)

I dub Dan the Threadcromancer! ;)

I count no less than eleven threads between SF Discussion and 15mm SF. That has to be a new record! :)

-Chris K.

If somebody would produce those structures they would make a fortune!

Structures as large as those pictures are probably more suited to 6mm gaming. Blue Moon has a couple that are close, but they're $35 USD-$50 each.

Brigade Models has been working on similar 15mm buildings, but with a smaller footprint:

And I wonder how much of the above one could accomplish by adding GZG, The Scene, Combat Wombat, CorSec Engineering, and Antenociti's Workshop bits to GameCraft Minis buildings.

-Chris K.

Question:

Who makes those buildings in the very last picture?

Thanks,

Dan

@Dan – they are previews from Brigade Models. link

-Chris K.

Ooooo. I like!!!

Dan

very cool buildings.

What i really don't understand, and its something I find annoying as well, is the assumption that Sci-fi Islamic forces should be shown wearing clothing suitable for desert life, even when on a planet not earth. Is there an assumption that if we colonise extraterrestrial worlds then the Islamics would all head for desert worlds? What if they colonised a cold world? What would Islamic forces look like then?

This is something id like to do when Ive the time!

Both hot and cold worlds for my rusks, commonwealth and militias.

Irregular forces only…

Example… for the forseable future all the u.s.a. will face are going to be partisan/terrorist opponents..

no one dares put on a uniform and fight army to army. Our middle eastern opponents take off their uniforms soon as we arrive. They cant compete and stay viable without ieds and such. Forces in the future (15mm) should reflect that. I like the gzg troops personally… but I like 25mm versions best. The thought of off world fundamentalists on a frozen planet..etc sounds
intriguing

PS
Check out Crescent Root Studios for 15mm middle eastern buildings

Um, am I seeing right? No one mentioned Khurasan Miniatures outstanding sci-fi Islamic troops:

Hell, they even have tank crew half figures:

I bird-dogged these when they came out for later acquisition… already have an Islamic-themed 20mm force for Starguard!, and a number of the vehicles will double duty for 15mm sic-fi heavies…

Leland R. Erickson
Metal Express
metal-express.net

What i really don't understand, and its something I find annoying as well, is the assumption that Sci-fi Islamic forces should be shown wearing clothing suitable for desert life, even when on a planet not earth. Is there an assumption that if we colonise extraterrestrial worlds then the Islamics would all head for desert worlds? What if they colonised a cold world? What would Islamic forces look like then?

The thing about "Islamic" clothing is that there's a great deal of variance from region to region, culture to culture, environment to environment:

IMHO it's going to boil down to (1) where did the colonists originate, (2) how much outside influence had taken root within the colony's founding population prior to emigration from Earth (ie., how much Western influence had rooted in the colonist population prior to shipping out for the Far and Away?), (3) how many generations have passed since the colony's founding, (4) how much influence has the new world's environment exerted on the evolution of the colonists' culture including their attire, and (5) how much contact has the colony had with the rest of humanity and/or non-human civilizations since the colony's founding?

Answer these questions and methinks you'll get a hint of an idea how such an Islamic society might evolve and how their attire will evolve along with them to adapt to their new home.

Leland R. Erickson
Metal Express
metal-express.net

Here's an interesting twist to the whole desert garb idea:

More:

link

Dan

I for one, would love to see some Fremen from the Dune series – with their stillsuits or with their suits covered in regular desert clothing.

How cool would the Avalon Hill boardgame be if you could use something other than counters?

Curufea, check out Rebel Minis Sahadeen. They're probably pretty close to what you want. In addition their Titan Marines could easily be used for Harkonen troops.

@AdmiralCrackbar
Nice! Thanks for that!

A theme I do note in Leland's set of pictures is that, but for the first, both men and women have some kind of long robe/dress/coat to well below the knee – tighter or looser depending on fashion and function, differing colors and patterns on the cloth, but definitely distinctive from western clothing.
Phil

We have some new stuff coming out soon that might fit the bill…